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Unemployment rate at 6.9 percent, highest in two years when systematic measuring began

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Unemployment rate at 6.9 percent, highest in two years when systematic measuring began

According to the CMIE report, only 39.5% of the Indian adult population or 397 million people were employed in Oct 2018, 2.4% lower than the 407 million in Oct 2017.

Against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s promise of creating 10 million jobs a year, India’s unemployment rate jumped to a high of 6.9% in October 2018, according to a report by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE).

This is the highest in two years since January 2016 “when we began measuring labour statistics systematically,” according to Mahesh Vyas, CEO of CMIE.

The study comes at the second anniversary of India’s demonetisation exercise which, according to several reports, dealt a body blow to the country’s small and medium businesses as they struggled to sustain operations amid an acute cash crunch and resulted in massive layoffs.

According to the CMIE report, only 39.5% of the Indian adult population was employed as of October, the lowest employment percentage. An estimated 397 million people were employed in October 2018, 2.4 per cent lower than the 407 million persons employed in October 2017. This is a sharp year-on-year fall in employment.

In the months following demonetisation, over 1.5 million jobs were lost, according to CMIE.

The situation remains grim even now. There was zero growth in the job market in financial year 2018, the unemployment rate rising to a two-year high of 6.9% in October 2018, the CMIE report said.

Another worrying sign is the labour participation rate (LPR), which, in October, stood at a dismal 42.4%, the lowest level since January 2016. LPR, deemed a better indicator of employment, is the share of the population above 15 years of age that is employed or seeking jobs.

“Labour participation rate (LPR) was of the order of 47%-48% before demonetisation. But, it fell sharply after demonetisation and has still not recovered,” Mahesh Vyas said in the report.

Further, a sharp recovery in the situation is unlikely as private-sector investments have remained subdued.

While employment has been falling, the number of people unemployed who are actively looking for a job has been rising. As of October 2018, there were 29.5 million unemployed persons actively looking for jobs. This is much larger than the 21.6 million unemployed persons looking for jobs in October 2017.

The count of the unemployed persons actively looking for jobs has risen steadily since its low of 14 million in July 2017. In a little over a year, the number unemployed has more than doubled. This partly reflects the return of labour to the labour markets after their exodus post demonetisation.

The return of labour to the labour markets indicates possibly a return of hope, the CMIE report said, although there still isn’t any sign of a significant pick up in jobs on offer.

Given that investments continue to remain subdued, the economy does not seem to have the capacity to absorb much more labour.

India News

Bank holiday today: Are banks open or closed on June 29? Here’s what RBI calendar says

Banks in Himachal Pradesh and Mizoram will remain closed on June 29, 2026, due to regional holidays, while banking operations will continue normally in most other states.

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Bank Holidays

As June comes to an end, many customers are wondering whether banks across the country are open on June 29, 2026. According to the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) holiday calendar, bank operations will not be affected nationwide, but branches in some states will remain closed due to local holidays.

Banks closed in these states on June 29

Banks will remain shut in Himachal Pradesh on Monday, June 29, on account of Sant Guru Kabir Jayanti. In addition, bank branches in Mizoram will remain closed to observe Remna Ni, a regional public holiday.

However, bank branches in most other states and Union Territories are expected to function normally as June 29 is not a nationwide banking holiday.

Will online banking services remain available?

Even when physical branches remain closed, customers can continue using digital banking facilities. Services such as internet banking, mobile banking, UPI transactions, ATM withdrawals and cash deposits at ATMs will remain operational.

Customers planning to visit a bank branch are advised to check with their local branch beforehand, as holiday schedules may vary depending on the state and local observances.

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India News

Union Budget 2026 highlights: Nirmala Sitharaman Raises Capex to Rs 12.2 Lakh Cr, West Bengal Gets Major Allocation

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is presenting the Union Budget 2026 in Parliament today. Follow this space for live updates, key announcements, and policy insights.

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Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman arrives to present Union Budget 2026

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will shortly present the Union Budget 2026 in the Lok Sabha, marking her ninth consecutive Budget. The annual financial statement is expected to outline the government’s policy priorities, reform agenda and spending plans for the coming year. Stay tuned for live updates, key announcements and immediate reactions as the Budget speech unfolds.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled her ninth Union Budget today, beginning her speech at 11 am.

Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present her ninth Union Budget today, with the finance minister scheduled to begin her speech at 11 am.

Budget 2026 live updates: Presenting the Union Budget for 2026–27, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the occasion coincided with Magh Purnima and the birth anniversary of Guru Ravidas. She noted that over the past 12 years, India’s economic journey has been defined by stability, fiscal discipline, sustained growth and moderate inflation.

The budgeted fiscal deficit for fiscal 2026 is estimated at 4.4 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP)

Planned capital expenditure this fiscal year Rs 11.2 lakh crore

Rare earth corrdiors in Odisha and Kerala

Hi-tech tool rooms to be set up by PSUs

Construction equipment scheme to be launched

Container manufacturing scheme for Rs 10,000 crore over 5 years

Rs 10,000 crore SME Growth Fund

Semi-conductor mission to get Rs 40,000 crore

Rs 12.2 lakh crores for infrastructure development

Dedicated RITES to repurpose land of Central PSUs

20 new waterways over next 5 years to be connected

7 high-speed corridors on rail

High-level committee on banking for next phase of Viksit Bharat

Capital expenditure hike of to ₹12.2 lakh crore in Budget 2026, with West Bengal receiving a significant share of allocations.

Mahatma Gandhi Gram Swaraj Initiative aimed at boosting the khadi, handloom, and handicrafts sectors.

High-speed rail corridors: Mumbai-Pune, Pune-Bengaluru, Hyderabad-Bengaluru, Chennai-Bengaluru, Delhi-Varanasi, Varanasi-Siliguri, Pune-Hyderabad

Five university campuses to be established near industrial corridors

Lakpati Didi program expanded in Budget 2026 to reach more beneficiaries across India.

Fiscal deficit for FY26 revised to 4.4%; Budget Estimate for FY27 set at 4.3%.

TCS on overseas tour packages cut to 2% to ease travel costs

Tax holiday to foreign companies that provide cloud services by setting up data centres in India till 2047

17 cancer drugs exempted from import duties

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India News

Union budget 2026 to be presented on Sunday with special trading session

The Union Budget 2026 will be presented on a Sunday for the first time in over two decades, with NSE and BSE announcing special trading sessions for the day.

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Nirmala Sitharaman

For the first time in more than two decades, the Union Budget will be presented on a Sunday. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to table the Union Budget for 2026 in the Lok Sabha on February 1 at 11 am, even as the day is usually observed as a holiday for government offices and financial markets.

February 1 falls on a Sunday this year, raising questions about market operations and investor response. To ensure uninterrupted trading and immediate market reaction to budget announcements, stock exchanges have announced special arrangements for the day.

Markets to remain open on budget day

Both the National Stock Exchange and the Bombay Stock Exchange have confirmed that markets will remain open on February 1. The NSE has announced a special trading session, with the pre-open market scheduled from 9 am to 9:08 am, followed by normal trading hours from 9:15 am to 3:30 pm.

The BSE has also declared the day a special trading day, with regular market hours applicable. Trading is expected to continue across equity, derivatives, and futures and options segments.

What the Sunday budget means for investors

A weekend budget presentation is seen as offering certain advantages for market participants. With trading active on the same day, investors will be able to respond to policy announcements immediately rather than waiting for the next working day.

The Sunday timing also gives investors, analysts, and financial institutions additional time to go through detailed proposals, including tax changes, fiscal deficit targets, and sector-wise allocations. The extended window for analysis may help reduce sharp, headline-driven reactions and encourage more informed decision-making.

With fewer competing developments on a non-working day, budget announcements are also expected to receive more focused attention from markets and stakeholders.

Parliamentary schedule and key milestones

The Economic Survey is expected to be tabled on January 29, ahead of the budget presentation. The Budget Session of Parliament began on January 28 with the President’s address to a joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

The upcoming budget will mark Nirmala Sitharaman’s ninth consecutive Union Budget. It will also be India’s 80th budget since Independence. Since 2017, Union Budgets have been presented at 11 am on February 1, following a timing change introduced during the tenure of former finance minister Arun Jaitley.

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